Kogi community gives herders 48hrs to vacate land
Stakeholders in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State have given herders in Emere community 48 hours to vacate their land or face the consequences. Our correspondent learnt that the decision was reached at a stakeholders’ meeting held on Tuesday at the Ankpa local government secretariat. The stakeholders attributed their decision to the incessant destruction […]
Stakeholders in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State have given herders in Emere community 48 hours to vacate their land or face the consequences.
Our correspondent learnt that the decision was reached at a stakeholders’ meeting held on Tuesday at the Ankpa local government secretariat.
The stakeholders attributed their decision to the incessant destruction of farmers’ crops by the herders’ cattle.
The local government chairman, Engr. Adamu Muhammed Yahaya, noted on Thursday that the community cannot “fold their arms and watch cattle destroying the farm crops that are sustaining the livelihoods of the people.”
“I am impressed with the level of peace we have enjoyed in Ankpa. However, we must ensure that our farmers can cultivate their lands without disruption or fear of harm or crop destruction, especially during this farming season.
“My administration is fully committed to ensuring that farmers and every resident of Ankpa have a secure environment and can go about their daily activities.”
An elder and a stakeholder, Alhaji Abubakar Hassan, also said the meeting addressed concerns about the presence of herdsmen and their cattle in Emere land during the cropping season, noting the destruction of crops that farmers had labored for.
“The community can no longer tolerate the activities of these herders whose main aim is to destroy our crop farms to boost their own livestock business, to the detriment of our farmers,” he said.
“We agreed unanimously that the herdsmen should prepare for their relocation from Emere land to pave the way for farmers to cultivate their crops during this cropping season,” he added.
The Senior Gago of Emere community, His Royal Highness, Ayuba Jibrin, praised the stakeholders and the council chairman for their wisdom in handling the farmer-herder conflict in the community.
He assured that youths in his community have been counseled to refrain from harming any cattle or herder during their transition.
Meanwhile, Mallam Dantata, a leader of the herders in the Ankpa community, thanked them for their cooperation all the while.
The Kogi State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Aya, did not respond to calls and texts at the time of filing the report.